ABC has officially ordered a fourth season for the hit family comedy "Black-ish."
According to Deadline, the series has been picked up for another run expected to air later this year. Stacy Traub, who recently served as executive producer (EP) for "The Real O'Neals" (canceled by ABC), is joining the show as executive producer. She will also have a leadership role along with showrunner, series creator, and EP Kenya Barris.
Debuted in 2014, "Black-ish" currently ranks as one of ABC's highest-rating programs — averaging 5.2 million viewers and 1.5 rating in the 18–49 demo in season 3. Additionally, the show is known for being a consistent awardee. Earlier this year, lead actress Tracee Ellis Ross won a Golden Globe while the series was nominated for three categories. It has also been nominated for four Emmy awards.
Barris has been ramping up his deal with ABC with the development of the "Black-ish" spin-off starring Yara Shahidi's Zoey, the eldest daughter of the Johnson family. Reports say the new show is near a deal for a full-season order at ABC's sister network Freeform.
Insiders claim that the backdoor pilot is more suited to a younger audience, so the series was moved to Freeform where most teenage dramas are being aired. Freeform reportedly swooped in to pick up the spin-off as it prepares to conclude its hit "Pretty Little Liars" series. A formal announcement from the network is expected to come after the upfront presentation to advertisers next week.
Similar to "The Cosby Show's" spin-off "A Different World," the upcoming "Black-ish" offshoot centers on Zoey as she begins her life in college. Some of the cast members for the series were revealed last month, including "Saturday Night Live" alum Chris Parnell, "American Crime" actor Trevor Jackson, and "Veep" star Matt Walsh.
The fourth season of "Black-ish" premieres this fall on ABC.
